Rope-clutch



(No Model.)

H. L. BENNETT 8v B. ADAMS.

ROPE CLUTCH.

No. 478,839. Patented July 12, 1892.Y

WW1/wam@ mam we News Pneus ca, Mofo-mnu.. wnsmnc UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

HARVELL L. BENNETT AND RUSSELL B. ADAMS, OF WESTERVILLE, OHIO.

ROPE-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,839, dated July 12,1892.

Application filed April 2, 1892. Serial No. 427,454. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may cow/cern:

Beit known that we, HARWELL L. BENNETT and RUSSELL B. ADAMS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Westerville, in the county of Franklinand State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inRope-Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of ropeclutches which areparticularly designed to form a lever connectionbetween a power-windlassrope and a chain for pulling stumps or moving heavy bodies. j

The objects of our invention are to provide a simple and reliable deviceof this class ofi great strength and durability and of such constructionas to admit of a rope being firmly grasped and held thereby, to soconstruct said device as to provide for an increase in the bindingaction of the clutch in proportion to the increase of strain on therope, to admit- Figure l is a view in elevation of our im-v provedclutch, showing a portion of a winding rope and power-chain inconnection therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line of Fig. l.Fig. 3 isa plan view. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the parts inposition for connecting with the rope. Fig. 5 is a view in elevationshowing in connection therewithmeans for releasing the rope fromengagement with the clutch, and Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspectiveof the releasing device employed.

Similar letters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views.

, a represents the main or jaw-supporting arm of our improved clutch.Pivotally connected with the inner side of the arm a, adjoining what weshall term the forward end thereof, is an outwardly-extending tongue orjaw a', which curves forwardly, its rear edge or side having formedtherein a groove 0.2, which substantially describes the arc of a circle.Secured to the inner side of the arm a, and slightly in rear of theinner end or heel of the jaw a', is the inner end or heel of acorrespondingly-shaped jaw a3, which projects and curves in a directionopposite that of the jaw a. The heel of the jaw a3 projects, as shown,slightly beyond the arm a, thus slightly overlapping the heel of the jawa', said projecting portion being thickened, as shown at a4, to form ashoulder, which abuts against the edge of the arm a. The forward edge ofthe jaw c3 is provided-with a groove a5,which extends throughout thelength thereof.

As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings, those portionsof the grooves a2 and a5 which are in the oppositely-located portions ofthe jaw-heels run in straight lines instead of curved lines. To theouter' side of the jaw a is secured the forward end of a rearwardly andoutwardly inclined arm b, which terminates in a forwardly-turned hook b.To the rear end of the arm a is jointedly connected, as shown at c,anarm d, which terminates in a forwardly-turned hook d. To the arm CZ, ator near the center of the length thereof, is pivotally connected one endof a link d2, the outer end of which, as hereinafter described, isadapted to be engaged with the hook b of the arm b.

e represents a power or pulling chain, one end of which is adapted, asshown, to be engaged by the hook CZ. This chain c is adapted to beconnected at its otherwise free end with the object to be moved in anydesired manner.

f represents a windlass or winding rope, which extends from the clutchin an opposite direction from the chain e. This rope, as shown in thedrawings, passes over and lies within the grooved edge of the jaw a',from whence it passes about and lies within the groove of the jaw a3,and extends rearwardly. In order to make this connection of the rope andclutch and clamp the same firmly between the jaws of the latter', wewill assume that ythe clutch is in the position indicated in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings-t'. e., the link cl2 disengaged from the hook-arm d and thelatter, together with the jaw a', thrown forward.

IOO

The rope f is then brought into position to be clamped by the jaws, asabove described, the jaw a turned inwardly toward the jaw a3, and thelink d2 engaged with the hook b. The forward movement of the rope f,which may be imparted thereto by a suitable power-windlass or by othermeans, will result, as will readily be seen, in drawing the chain e tautand placing the same under such tension as to draw the outer end of thearm CZ outward, and through this movement of said arm d produce adownward and rearward pressure ot' the arm b. This rearward pressure ofthe arm b must result, as will readily be seen, in a clamping oi theheel of the jaw a toward the jaw a3 and iu a consequent clamping ot' therope f between said jaws. It will thus be seen that the increase ofstrain on the rope f must be followed by a corresponding increase in theclamping action ot' the jaws and that the greater the power exerted onthe rope f the stronger will be the locking action of thc clutch. It isobvious that the rearwardly-extending portion of the rope f may beanchored to some ixed body or that it may hang loose from the clutchwithout eiecting the clamping action thereof. It is also evident thatthis rear end portion of the rope may, in addition to the chain e, beaiiixed to a stump or other object to be moved, thus admitting of morethan one object being moved at the same time. The ares of circlesdescribed by the grooved edges of the tongues c and a3 may be variedaccording to the size of the rope employed, and other similar changes informs may be produced without altering the principle of our invention.

In order to release the rope from the binding action of the clutch whenthe rope and chain are under strain, we employ the releasing deviceshown in Fig. (5 oi the drawings. This releasing device consists, asshown, of a leverar1n g, which has an end extension in the form of aslightly-cnrved arm g'. This arm g' is notched on one side, as indicatedat g2, said notch being of a size adapted to receive the rope f. To thatend of the level-arm g which is provided with the extension g isfulcrumed one end of a link g', the outer end of which is jointediyconnected with a hook-arm gl. In using this releasing device the lever gis so placed thatthe outer end of its extension g' abuts against theouter end of the tongue or jaw a', while that portion of the rope whichleads from the clutch to the windiass passes through the notch g2. Thehook-arm g4 is then engaged with the outer end of the hook-arm d of theclutch and the lever-handle g is pressed forward, thus drawing the jawct and the arm d toward each other sufficiently to admit of thedisengagement of the link d2 from the hook b. By this means anexceedingly simple and convenient device is provided for disengaging thelink d2 when the chain e and ropef are under tension.

It is obvious that the clutch herein shown and described is adapted tobe engaged with either a wire rope or ropes of any ordinary constructionor material.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

i. In a rope-clutch, the combination, with the arm a, fixed and pivotedjaws carried thereby, and hook-arm d, jointedly connected therewith, ofconnections between said pivoted jaw and arm d, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

2. In a rope-clutch, the combination, with the arm a, the Iixed andpivoted jaws arranged as described thereon, said jaws having curvededges, as described, an arm d, joint edly connected with the arm a, andconnections between the arm d and pivoted jaw, substantially asspecified.

In a rope-clutch, the combination, with the arm a,f1xed and pivoted jawsd a", ar ranged thereon, as described, said jaws having grooved edgesshaped to form conjointly a substantially compound curve, substantiailyas specified.

4. Ina rope-clutch, the combination ot' the arm a, a pivoted and a iixedjaw thereon, as described, an arm b, carried by said pivoted jaw at anangle therefrom, an arm d, jointedly connected with said arma, and alink d2, fulcrnmed to said arm cl and adapted to engage with said arm b,substantially as specitied.

5. In a rope-clutch of the character described, a releasing deviceconsisting of a iever-arm g,a notched end portion g2, and jointed linkand rod g3 g4, said link fuicrumed to said lever-arm, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

HARXVELL L. BENNET' RUSSELL B. ADAMS.

In presence of- THos. S. GATES, C. C. SHEPHERD.

